


The Last Leash

by ApostateRevolutionary



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Nice Things Are Happening, happiness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-15 09:25:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4601574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApostateRevolutionary/pseuds/ApostateRevolutionary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke brings Anders a gift, something he'd long given up hope on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Last Leash

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a headcanon that my RP partner told me about that I just could not let go of, so this happened haha.

“I have something for you.” Hawke said as she entered Anders’ clinic, not bothering with pretense at this point in their relationship.

Anders looked up from his desk, a flash of worry passing over his face. “Oh no, love, what have you spent far too much on this time?”

The rogue let out a slight chuckle. “You really need to stop being so suspicious of gifts, Anders. I like giving them to you, you know. Besides, what else would I want to spend this ridiculous noble fortune on other than my favourite apostate?”

“I keep telling you, Hawke, I don’t des–” Anders stopped when she gave him The Look.

It was taking time, but she’d slowly been working on getting him to stop saying things like ‘I don’t deserve [blank]’. Hawke considered it step one in her plan to make him actually _believe_ he did deserve nice things. She knew it would take a while, but she was a very patient, very stubborn person. Slowly, he’d been starting to at least entertain the possibility that maybe, just _maybe_ , he did deserve to live in slightly more than squalor, barely being able to eat. That in and of itself was a victory in her mind, no matter how small, and she was going to take that as a sign to keep at it.

The rogue stopped walking as she reached the opposite side of the desk from him. She leaned forward on it, bending so her forearms were resting on the surface of the desk, bringing herself to eye-level with Anders.

“And technically, I didn’t buy this one at all. A few bribes may have been involved, but of course, I’d never be foolish enough to admit to that.” She flashed him a grin. “No, this was obtained mostly through favours I’d been owed for a while. Figured it was about time I used some of them.”

Anders looked at her curiously, and Hawke straightened so she could reach into her pocket to pull out the prize. It was fairly small, but still larger than she thought it’d be, truth be told. Wrapped in coarse fabric for both protection and to conceal what was inside along its long journey here, the object felt oddly heavy in her palm. She glanced at it for a moment, and then offered it to the confused healer sitting across from her.

Tentatively, Anders took the bundle, his brow slightly furrowed. He gave her a questioning look, and only began unwrapping the fabric when she nodded. He took his time, seeming to assume that the contents were fragile. Well, they were, she supposed, but Hawke doubted he’d be so careful with the item within once he knew what it was.

When the fabric fell away and the object was bared to Anders’ gaze, his eyes widened, and then his brow furrowed deeper. His head snapped up to meet her gaze again, and Hawke just smiled gently.

“Hawke, what is this?” He asked in a hushed tone, suggesting he already knew very well what it was.

“I think you know what it is, love.” She said, encouraging him to believe that yes, this was what he thought it was, and that this was actually happening.

Anders’ eyes suddenly became glassy, showing that tears weren’t far off. “I never dared to hope… I was sure this was out of my reach for good… My phylactery…”

“Not anymore, Anders. It’s yours now, to do with as you please. You don’t have to worry about this hanging over you anymore.” Hawke said, reaching out to gently stroke her thumb over his empty hand.

“But how in the Maker’s name did you get it? Oh, Hawke, I can’t imagine this was a safe endeavour. What if you’ve put yourself in danger?” Anders’ voice was full of fear, but Hawke just stopped her gentle stroking and firmly held his hand in hers.

“Trust me, Anders, I’m safe. You’re safe. I used Varric’s channels; this was completely untraceable. One false Templar with a forged letter claiming to need the phylacteries of all the mages lost over the years to apostasy. All of which were destroyed, save yours, of course. Then it was put on a ship to Rivain, which was later robbed by a group seeking something completely unrelated save one member of the raiding party, who thought he was stealing a vial of dragon’s blood for an eclectic and rich collector. And then, after a few more ‘accidents’, it made its way to me, and here we are.” Hawke assured him, smiling.

Anders gaped at her, his mind clearly not sure how to process this. Hawke knew he never thought to have the chance to destroy his phylactery again after the failure in Amaranthine he’d told her about, and that it weighed on him. If his identity was ever found out, or even suspected, all it would take was a letter from Meredith and she’d be able to hunt him down with it. But now? He was safe from that. This final leash the Circle had used to control him was now in his hands.

The mage stood suddenly, saying nothing as he walked towards the door. Hawke was thoroughly confused, but she followed after a few moments, finding that Anders had stopped just outside, near the edge that dropped off a long way into the sea. There was a small, jagged fence that kept people from accidentally walking off, but that was all that separated Darktown’s residents from certain death.

Anders stood a bit over an arm’s length back from the edge, staring at the red vial in his hand, fixated on it. Hawke walked up to his side and looked at him questioningly, about to speak when the mage let go of the vial, letting it shatter on the ground just before the edge. They both stared at the puddle of blood for a few heartbeats, and then Anders used a small, subtle push of magic to force the blood to flow over the edge and into the water below, taking the glass shards with it.

“There. It’s over.” Anders said with finality, his body relaxing as he let out a long breath, staring into the distance.

“Did it help? To know you don’t have that hanging over your head anymore?” Hawke asked, wanting to be sure.

He then turned to her, smiling genuinely, the rare sight bringing a matching smile to the rogue’s face. “It absolutely did, love. I can’t even begin to thank you enough for this. I thought about it sometimes, you know? About what would happen if Meredith got wind of who I was and had my phylactery sent here. I’d be caught for sure. But I never dreamed to think I could be free of that fear.”

“I’m glad I could help. After you told me about what happened in Amaranthine, how the Hero of Ferelden helped you even after it was too late, I wondered if there was anything I could do. I know it’s not much, but I just want you to be safe. I said I’d always protect you, and I meant it.”

Anders’ looked perplexed for a moment before his smile widened. “Not much? This was the last tie the Templars had to me, the last leash they could control me with. And you helped me cut it. This… this means more to me than I can ever express.”

He paused, and then quickly moved to kiss her, all sudden hunger and need. His arms wrapped around her, one hand working its way into her hair, the other solidly pressed against her lower back. The passion caught her off guard; it felt a lot like that first time he’d finally broken down and kissed her in his clinic. But she matched him, pushing herself forward to meet his lips and tongue and teeth at every move, his desperation only spurring her on, her hands finding purchase in his thick coat. When the kiss finally broke, they were both panting, eyes hooded, though Anders’ were damp with unshed tears.

“Well, I think you’ve managed to express your appreciation now.” She said, voice still a bit breathless.

He chuckled. “It’s a start. I just… I never thought it could happen. You are the most remarkable person I’ve ever met, Hawke. You make impossibilities look like minor inconveniences.”

Hawke smiled at the compliment. “For you, love? No impossibility will stop me. Next time I might bring you the Knight-Commander’s head on a pike, just like you’ve always wanted.”

Anders laughed at that, but with a touch of nervousness in case she was actually serious. Which she was, sort of. Hawke would’ve loved to do that, but she knew it wasn’t possible. At least at this point in time.

“As much as I’d like that, I think you’ve taken enough risks lately.” Even though his words were light and he was smiling, she could see a tear leak down one cheek. “You’ve done more than enough, love.”

His last words were hushed, and Hawke pulled him close again, but with tenderness instead of the earlier passion. Anders clung to her, and she stroked his hair softly. For a moment, she’d thought his expression of gratitude was going to end in the bedroom, but this was arguably better. Because she knew that, for once, these were tears of happiness, not of grief. She wasn’t surprised his emotions had overpowered him, considering he’d been waiting years for this. And now that his last leash had finally been severed and that worry was gone, he could actually let himself feel this overwhelming relief.


End file.
